1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information recording and/or reading apparatus suitably used in a magnetic/electrical characteristic inspection device for a servo track writer of a hard disk drive, especially, a master servo writer for simultaneously servo-writing a plurality of hard disks, a pre-servo writer for servo-writing outside a drive, a head, a head gimbal assembly, and a head stack assembly, and a magnetic/electrical characteristic inspection device for a hard disk itself, and is also suitably used in inspection and manufacturing apparatuses of an optical or magnetooptical recording head and an optical or magnetooptical recording disk.
2. Related Background Art
FIG. 13 shows the arrangement of a conventional information recording/reading apparatus. A spindle motor 102 for rotating a disk 103 is fixed on a base 101. A recording/reading head 110 is attached to the distal end of a rotation shaft (not shown) of a rotary alignment control device 107 via a head fixing jig. The rotary alignment control device 107 is disposed on an X-stage including a stationary portion 104 and a movable stage 105 arranged on the base 101, and can be driven in the X-direction (the directions of an arrow in FIG. 13).
In this prior art, two rotary alignment control devices 107 are provided to a single spindle motor 102.
By moving the movable stage 105, the distance between the center of the disk and the center of rotation of the head can be adjusted to an arbitrary spacing. Upon exchanging a disk, the two rotary alignment control devices 107 move in a direction away from the disk 103 and spindle motor 102.
However, in the conventional information recording/reading apparatus, it is difficult to exchange the recording/reading head.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the unsolved problems of the prior art, and has as its object to provide an information recording/reading apparatus which allows very easy exchange of a recording/reading head and disk, and can avoid troubles such as damage to the recording/reading head and disk during exchange.
In order to achieve the above object, an information recording/reading apparatus according to the present invention comprises a base plate, a spindle motor for rotating a disk by an output shaft perpendicular to the base plate, a rotary alignment control device for determining a rotation position of a recording/reading head of a head unit about a rotary alignment axis parallel to the output shaft of the spindle motor, a linear movement guide extending parallel to the rotary alignment axis, and a support mechanism for supporting the rotary alignment control device to be reciprocally movable along the linear movement guide.
In further aspect of the invention, the apparatus includes a moving stage which mounts the spindle motor, and a stage driving mechanism for driving the moving stage toward or away from the rotary alignment axis.
An information recording and/or reading apparatus according to the present invention comprises a base plate, a spindle motor for rotating a disk by an output shaft perpendicular to the base plate, a rotary alignment control device for determining a rotation position of a recording/reading head of a head unit about a rotary alignment axis parallel to the output shaft of the spindle motor, a horizontal pivot shaft extending perpendicular to a predetermined plane including the rotary alignment axis, and a support mechanism for supporting the rotary alignment control device to be pivotal about the horizontal pivot shaft.
In further aspect of the invention, the apparatus further includes a moving stage which mounts the spindle motor, and a stage driving mechanism for driving the moving stage toward or away from the rotary alignment axis.
An information recording and/or reading apparatus according to the present invention comprises a base plate, a spindle motor for rotating a disk by an output shaft perpendicular to the base plate, a rotary alignment control device for determining a rotation position of a recording/reading head of a head unit about a rotary alignment axis parallel to the output shaft of the spindle motor, a vertical pivot shaft extending parallel to the rotary alignment axis, and a support mechanism for supporting the rotary alignment control device to be pivotal about the vertical pivot shaft.
In further aspect of the invention, the apparatus further includes a moving stage which mounts the spindle motor, and a stage driving mechanism for driving the moving stage toward or away from the rotary alignment axis.
An information recording and/or reading apparatus according to the present invention comprises a base plate, a spindle motor for rotating a disk by an output shaft perpendicular to the base plate, a rotary alignment control device for determining a rotation position of a recording/reading head of a head unit about a rotary alignment axis parallel to the output shaft of the spindle motor, a moving stage which mounts the spindle motor, a stage driving mechanism for driving the moving stage toward or away from the rotary alignment axis, and a stopper for fixing the moving stage at an arbitrary position on a guide mechanism.
Upon recording/reading by the recording/reading head, the moving stage is driven to bring the spindle motor close to the head unit together with the disk, and is fixed at a position defined by a movable stopper. In this state, the rotary alignment control device determines the rotation position of the recording/reading head, and the spindle motor is then driven to record/reproduce information on/from the disk.
Upon exchanging the recording/reading head or disk, the moving stage is moved backward by the stage driving means to move the spindle motor and disk in a direction away from the head unit.
The disk is changed after the moving stage is moved to a position convenient for disk exchange.
On the other hand, the recording/reading head is exchanged in a state wherein the head unit is moved upward or backward by pivoting the support means that supports the rotary alignment control device about a horizontal or vertical pivot shaft, or moving it upward along the linear movement guide, after the disk and spindle motor are sufficiently separated from the head.
In this way, since the recording/reading head is exchanged while the head unit disposed below the rotary alignment control device is moved upward or to a position behind the device, the recording/reading head can be exchanged very easily, and can be prevented from being damaged by interference with surrounding members during exchange.